Dialectic is a method of looking for the truth by putting two opposite ideas next to each other and talking them through until you reach a fuller answer that can hold both.

Dialectic辯證法 is a method是一種方法 of looking for the truth用來尋找真相 by putting two opposite ideas next to each other做法是把兩個相反的想法擺在一起 and talking them through仔細討論 until you reach a fuller answer直到得出一個更完整的答案 that can hold both能同時容納這兩者。

It began as Greek classroom talk — asking and answering — and later became a big word in philosophy (you will hear it with Hegel, and in Marxist writing). It belongs to university essays and serious discussion, not to everyday chat.

It它 began as Greek classroom talk一開始是希臘課堂上的對話 — asking and answering一問一答 — and later後來 became a big word in philosophy變成哲學裡的一個重要詞 (you will hear it with Hegel你會在黑格爾, and in Marxist writing和馬克思主義的文章裡聽到)。 It它 belongs to university essays and serious discussion屬於大學論文和嚴肅討論的場合, not to everyday chat不是日常聊天會用的。

You can use it as a noun (the dialectic of the argument) and, less often, as an adjective; dialectical is the usual adjective. Though actually, people sometimes stretch it to mean “any back-and-forth quarrel,” which is thinner than the philosophers meant.

You你 can use it as a noun可以當名詞用 (the dialectic of the argument這個論證的辯證), and而且, less often比較少見地, as an adjective也可以當形容詞; dialectical才是常用的形容詞形式 is the usual adjective。 Though actually不過其實, people人們 sometimes stretch it有時候會把它用得更廣 to mean “any back-and-forth quarrel,”意思是「任何一來一往的爭吵」 which這 is thinner than the philosophers meant比哲學家原本的意思薄弱一些。